The Inquiry

Do we need more nuclear power to help deal with climate change?


Listen Later

In November 2021, Britain will host the next UN Climate Change Conference, otherwise known as COP 26. Some 200 countries will come together to try to speed up attempts to make the world carbon neutral by the middle of the century.

But many countries are already struggling to ramp up renewable energy sufficiently to meet their greenhouse emission reduction targets. So is there another answer out there?

Around a tenth of the world's electricity is generated by nuclear reactors. Global generation has slowed in recent years after the nuclear accident in Fukushima a decade ago prompted governments to take a more cautious stance.

But with the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, many prominent environmentalists are now taking another look at nuclear energy.

Tanya Beckett asks if nuclear energy can helps us transition away from fossil fuel power.

Produced by Soila Apparicio.

(Exhaust plumes from cooling towers at the coal-fired power station at Jaenschwalde Germany. Credit: Sean Gallup /Getty Images)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The InquiryBy BBC World Service

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

695 ratings


More shows like The Inquiry

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,721 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

369 Listeners

Business Daily by BBC World Service

Business Daily

531 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

875 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,055 Listeners

World Business Report by BBC World Service

World Business Report

299 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,538 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,797 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

975 Listeners

The History Hour by BBC World Service

The History Hour

592 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,109 Listeners

The Interview by BBC World Service

The Interview

360 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

967 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

411 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

421 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

238 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

841 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

362 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

68 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

476 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

245 Listeners

Evil Genius with Russell Kane by BBC Sounds

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

350 Listeners

Have You Heard George's Podcast? by BBC Sounds

Have You Heard George's Podcast?

235 Listeners

Elis James and John Robins by BBC Radio 5 Live

Elis James and John Robins

327 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,215 Listeners

Sport's Strangest Crimes by BBC Radio 5 Live

Sport's Strangest Crimes

73 Listeners

Uncanny by BBC Radio 4

Uncanny

679 Listeners

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley by BBC Radio 4

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

582 Listeners

Believe in Magic by BBC Sounds

Believe in Magic

628 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

376 Listeners

Miss Me? by BBC Sounds

Miss Me?

245 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

53 Listeners

Rory Stewart: The Long History of... by BBC Radio 4

Rory Stewart: The Long History of...

78 Listeners

The History Bureau by BBC

The History Bureau

103 Listeners